Abandonment Issues and Addiction

Drug use is almost always a response to some issue. Atlanta residents may start using drugs for situational reasons, for example if all their friends are doing it; but more often than not, even in situational cases people use drugs to relieve emotional pain. Feelings of abandonment can easily lead to emotional pain that people will self-medicate with drugs.

Childhood Abandonment, Neglect and Abuse

There is a strong correlation between traumatic events in childhood and the subsequent development of substance abuse later in life. Addicts consistently show a high rate of neglect and abuse during childhood. This is not to say that everyAtlantadrug addict was neglected or abused in childhood, but only that those who were abused or neglected have an increased risk for addiction.

Feelings of abandonment also contribute to other issues, such as sex addiction or eating disorders. Sex addiction in particular is often caused by unfulfilled emotional needs, and is considered an attachment or intimacy disorder.Atlantachildren who do not receive love from their parents are quite likely to have difficulty trusting others, a cornerstone of interpersonal relationships. As a result they may attempt to satisfy their need for intimacy through unhealthy means. Again, not everyone who suffers from sex addiction can point to childhood neglect as the cause, but there is a high rate of childhood abuse and neglect among sex addicts.

Furthermore, neglect is usually enough to warrant intervention or even notice from Atlanta loved ones, as abuse can stem from something as simple as not giving enough positive reinforcement. Children are extremely sensitive and learn their self-image from their parents, so those who do not feel valued are likely to adopt that view of themselves.

Depression and Addiction

Feelings of abandonment can lead to depression, a very common cause of drug abuse and addiction. Once more, not everyone who abuses drugs or becomes addicted is depressed, but there is a high incidence of depression among drug addicts. An exact cause-and-effect relationship is difficult to determine with, because addiction and depression often reinforce each other. Depression can lead to drug use for relief, which can seem effective at first since most drugs elevate moods by raising levels of dopamine in the brain. However, coming down off drugs often causes depression, so depression is likely to be worse when it returns in addicts. This in turn leads to more drug use until people become dependent on the drug to avoid feeling depressed. Once addiction occurs, quitting use of the drug will cause withdrawal symptoms.Atlantaresidents will need professional help overcoming these issues.

Atlanta Addiction Treatment

If you live in Atlanta and suffer from addiction and any related issues such as depression, then treatment is available to help you quit using drugs. If you would like help finding treatment for addiction and any co-occurring disorder, or if you have any questions about addiction, call our toll-free, 24 hour helpline today. We can help you if you want to get clean.